Kevin Smith kicked off plane for being fat

[iago]

Reported in Slashdot and other places:
http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/10/02/14/1840243/Southwest-Declares-Kevin-Smith-Too-Fat-To-Fly

You can also read his response to it on Twitter, if you're into that:
http://twitter.com/ThatKevinSmith

It's a funny situation, no doubt.

[Sidoh]

ahhahahaha, hilarious.

Apparently Southwest replied.  I wasn't able to get the blog to load
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/not-so-silent-bob

[while1]

Yeah... and Google's cache is fail too :  http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/not-so-silent-bob

[iago]

He did a podcast about it: http://www.smodcast.com/

And yeah, Southwest replied. Kevin Smith's comment on Southwest's response was, "Dear Fucktarded PR-Challenged Fatty-Haters at @SouthwestAir: Your "apology" blog is insulting, redacted bullshit. FULL details in two hours." -- the "two hours" thing refers to that podcast.

My favourite quote from him on Twitter is, "Articles say I was given $100 @SouthwestAir voucher. It was OFFERED: the way a john tosses a hooker a c-note after a hate-fucking. Said no."

[Ender]

this guys a lame-ass tool

[Rule]

this guys a lame-ass tool

From what I've read, (the airline response, and some quotes posted here), I agree.  If this guy always books two seats for himself, I can't see how he's so outraged that they wouldn't let him on when only one seat was available.  It would be different if he were in the habit of flying with only one seat.

[iago]

this guys a lame-ass tool

From what I've read, (the airline response, and some quotes posted here), I agree.  If this guy always books two seats for himself, I can't see how he's so outraged that they wouldn't let him on when only one seat was available.  It would be different if he were in the habit of flying with only one seat.

You should listen to his podcast/videos about it. He's discussed those "facts" a lot:
- He *occasionally* buys two seats, but it's because he doesn't like sitting beside people
- He passed the airlines own guidelines, which is that he could buckle his seatbelt and put both armrests down
- It's not that they wouldn't let him on, it's that they let him get on, put his luggage away, sit down, and put the arm rests down, before they came and removed him
- They told him the pilot requests he be removed, which was later retracted as false
- They eventually admitted that he was removed because he was the last person on and there were other issues involved, and that it wasn't about his size

He's really upset about the "he always buys two seats" misquote, and he has mentioned many, many times (in podcasts, on twitter, etc) that it isn't true.

-

[Ender]

he just wants attention. his life sucks, he sucks, and finally when he has a chance to steal the spotlight he flaunts it.

[iago]

You don't know anything about him, do you?

[Rule]

- He *occasionally* buys two seats, but it's because he doesn't like sitting beside people

And then refunds it on the obesity policy?    That's even worse.

Even if he doesn't, that's still pretty wasteful.

[iago]

- He *occasionally* buys two seats, but it's because he doesn't like sitting beside people

And then refunds it on the obesity policy?    That's even worse.

Even if he doesn't, that's still pretty wasteful.

It may be wasteful, but his comment was that the airline's seats are so cheap, it's worthwhile for him. I'm not sure what you mean "refunds it on the obesity policy", though -- he says he does it because SWA has cheap++ seats.

I can't say I really blame him.. I love it when my flight is empty enough that the seat beside me is empty

I found this tweet from Lloyd Kaufman (another director that I respect) funny: "am at COP OUT premier.Kevin Smith is thanking a kabillion people.He is not that fat.I have seen fatter on airplanes!" -- it's so to the point.

[Rule]

SWA claims to be the only airline that will refund your extra seat (after your travel), if you are obese.

So there are three possibilities:
1) He needs the extra seat because of his obesity, and gets a refund for the extra seat.
2) He doesn't need the extra seat, but finds it convenient, and abuses the system to get a refund on the extra seat.
3) He buys another extra seat and doesn't get a refund.

[iago]

Ah, now that you mention it I recall reading that.

He mentioned paying for the extra seat a number of times throughout the situation. He said he paid for three seats on the way there (because his wife canceled and they were too busy to fix it), and he said the reason he gets an extra seat on SWA is because it's so affordable. Based on that, I'm *pretty* sure that 3 is the case, but I can't be sure.

[AntiVirus]

That is hilarious.  I feel bad for him, thought.  Must have been super embarrassing.

[deadly7]

That is hilarious.  I feel bad for him, thought.  Must have been super embarrassing.

Um. He's Kevin Smith.

[iago]

That is hilarious.  I feel bad for him, thought.  Must have been super embarrassing.

Um. He's Kevin Smith.

So? He's said many times throughout this ordeal that it was incredibly embarrassing, and how it sucks that the thing he's now most famous for is "too fat to fly".

[deadly7]

So? He's said many times throughout this ordeal that it was incredibly embarrassing, and how it sucks that the thing he's now most famous for is "too fat to fly".

Well, even after having read this story a couple hours after it was released, "Kevin Smith" in my mind still doesn't toggle "fat guy stuck in airplane seat". Instead, I recall delightful gems from Clerks, Mallrats, etc. I could just be weird though.

[iago]

So? He's said many times throughout this ordeal that it was incredibly embarrassing, and how it sucks that the thing he's now most famous for is "too fat to fly".

Well, even after having read this story a couple hours after it was released, "Kevin Smith" in my mind still doesn't toggle "fat guy stuck in airplane seat". Instead, I recall delightful gems from Clerks, Mallrats, etc. I could just be weird though.

Clerks, Mallrats, et al are great for a specific audience. Smith says he often gets recognized as "the clerk's guy" (including on that flight before getting kicked off). But this is the first time he's had any kind of mainstream exposure.

[iago]

Lloyd Kaufman, my other favourite director besides Kevin Smith, wrote a blog somewhat related to Kevin Smith's called "Why the Airlines have BIGGER Problems than Fat Movie Directors!" -- check it out at
http://www.troma.com/lloyd/

The point is, basically, "The fact that he was insulted is a symptom of the fact that Delta (Name co-shares) and United (name co-shares) have created a cartel just like the media cartel. They do not need to compete. Their employees are nasty and hideous and mostly because they can be."

[Rule]

So? He's said many times throughout this ordeal that it was incredibly embarrassing, and how it sucks that the thing he's now most famous for is "too fat to fly".

Isn't this his fault for publicising it?

[iago]

So? He's said many times throughout this ordeal that it was incredibly embarrassing, and how it sucks that the thing he's now most famous for is "too fat to fly".

Isn't this his fault for publicising it?

People on the plane recognized him and saw him getting kicked off. It probably wouldn't have been such a big story if he hadn't said anything, though.

The reason he said something in the first place is because he was pissed off/embarrassed by the situation. Tweeting ultimately made it worse, probably, but eh?